Trinamool Congress to oppose bill on FDI in insurace: Mamata Banerjee

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said her party would oppose any attempt to pass the Bill in Parliament to raise FDI cap in insurance sector to 49 per cent and will be vocal against the BJP-led government over communal violence.

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said her party would oppose any attempt to pass the Bill in Parliament to raise FDI cap in insurance sector to 49 per cent and will be vocal against the BJP-led government over communal violence.

Describing her strategy for the winter session of Parliment beginning on November 24, Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, said "we will oppose FDI in insurance. We will be vocal against communal violence," Banerjee, who held a meeting with party MPs to discuss the party's strategy in the coming session, said.

"This government is trying to sell out the country. We will oppose FDI in insurance and other issues including against communal violence," she said.

"We should not be taken for granted," Banerjee said while attending a meeting of party workers during the day where the party's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members were also present.

"In Rajya Sabha, they (NDA) do not have majority. They may try to pass it forcibly. We have 45 MPs (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). If they think we will help them in passing FDI in insurance, they are dreaming," Banerjee said.

Banerjee said her party MPS would also raise the issue of black money, which, she felt, must be brought back to India.

"Black money must be brought back to India", she said adding "we want the Centre to begin electoral reforms. Elections must be fought with accountability and credibility", she said.

Accusing BJP of indulging in a "selective vendetta" against her party with a party MP arrested by CBI in connection with the Saradah chit fund scam yesterday, Banerjee said her party MPs would stage a dharna in Parliament on November 25.

Alleging BJP had spent thousands of crores of rupees in Lok Sabha elections, she said "our MPs would raise this in Parliament and demand to know the source of these funds."

"We will organise a rally against the Centre's vindictive politics on November 24 from College Square to Dorina Crossing in the city," she said. PTI

Banerjee said, "India needs national leaders like Gandhiji, Netaji. We need leaders who are inclusive."

She said the "Centre is practising divisive politics. Communal violence is rising in India".

"They have instigated riots across India in the last few months - from Gujarat to Maharashtra. Even Delhi was not spared", he said.

"BJP thinks they will incite riots in Bengal? We will never allow that", she said.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, the party's Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien said the Parliament affairs minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy has called an all-party meeting at short notice on Sunday which TMC would not attend.

"TMC not attending this all-party meeting. We are not available at BJP's beck and call. Written a letter recording our point of view," he said.